Tagged: Cleaners in Shrewsbury

You work hard and you are probably looking after your kids/partner/parent as well. Let’s face it you are on the go all the time, there are not enough hours in the day and still you are having doubts about hiring some help! Why? What is stopping you?

Let me guess, it’s that guilty voice that says: ‘I should clean my own house…., ‘Only rich people have cleaners’…., Or even ‘Would I be comfortable telling someone how to clean my house?’

STOP! You don’t have to act like Lord or Lady Muck to have some help in your home, you don’t have to be all superior and you are not lazy – you are just busy!

Can I read minds? No, sadly not, but I have worked in this industry for many years and have done hundreds of cleaning quotes for lots of ordinary people.

What I have found is this: Women fight with the decision to hire a cleaner far more than men do. Men see it as a practical necessity; who has time for cleaning bathrooms? Women, however seem to guilt trip themselves into thinking they should be able to do everything. It can become a vicious circle of guilt and pressure.

My advice? Let it go! Take a deep breath and join us in the 21st Century – it is okay to ask for (and hire) help! You are not a bad person for not cleaning your own toilet, sending the ironing out or having a gardener. You are a busy, hard working person and deserve to have some quality time for you and your family.

Overcoming the Guilt Monsters!

Only the well-off have cleaners

Maybe once upon time that was true, but not now. With busy lifestyle and more disposable income than ever before, having a cleaning service is for people of all walks of life.

I guarantee there is a cleaning service out there to suit your needs and budget. Even if you cannot afford a weekly service, you could think about having a clean every month or quarter. At the very least I would recommend a deep clean/spring clean at least once a year to tackle all the jobs that everybody tries avoid. Mrs Mopp offers all these options.

I should clean my own house

Firstly, says who? You feel perfectly comfortable paying for all sorts of services to be done for you; why would paying someone else to clean your home be any different?

Secondly, unless you live alone, you are not be the only person responsible for making the mess! But let’s face it, it’s not easy to get your partner/children/roommate to take the share of the work and you just end up nagging and getting stressed. So, unless you want to live with a kitchen floor that no one has mopped in three weeks, now is the time to hire a cleaning service to help you keep things spick and span without all the drama and family rows.

I feel like I would be exploiting someone

Now unless you are forcing someone to clean your house I would imagine that there will be no exploiting going on. There are some 800,000 thousand registered cleaners in the UK today who have voluntarily decided that cleaning is the job they want to do.

Some people see cleaning as lowly profession, but to me this is a myth and a bit of an insult. I feel cleaning is a very noble job, in fact, I tell my staff that cleaners are like the fourth emergency service; the silent, probably unseen presence, keeping everything working. Please do not feel sorry for a cleaner, most cleaners are happy with the flexibility of their jobs and take great pride in their work, so you are not exploiting anybody, it is their job.

As a final point, even when you hire a cleaning service you may still feel pangs of guilt when telling people that you have a cleaner. This is normal, but there is nothing like coming home to a clean and tidy house after a hard day’s work and knowing you won’t have to nag anyone (including yourself) to clean the house.

If you have any thoughts or stories about the topic of guilt when hiring a cleaning services, I would love to hear them!

I’ve been in the cleaning business for many years and I know people can be confused about the various options for finding a cleaner. So what are the pros and cons and how do you choose the cleaning service that is right for you and your home?

I’ve been in the cleaning business for many years and I know people can be confused about the various options for finding a cleaner. So what are the pros and cons and how do you choose the cleaning service that is right for you and your home?

When hiring a cleaner who provides the cleaning materials?

Is it more cost effective to provide the cleaning materials yourself?

Are there pros and cons for who does the supplying? Let’s see…

If you use a sole trader, a cleaning agency or (gasp!) a cash-in-hand-cleaner (please, please don’t do this) the chances are you will supply all the cleaning materials, products and equipment needed to do the job.

If you are thinking of using a cleaning business or a cleaning franchise, they may be the offer of a lower tariff for the cost per hour of a cleaner if you supply your own cleaning products. For example, at Mrs Mopp we offer a lower and higher charge rate, depending on who supplies the cleaning products.

But what is better? To supply the cleaning products or have them supplied?

Well, as a starting point, did you know that the average family will spend £540.00 per year on cleaning products – yup £540.00 big ones – that’s a lot of moolah already spent and still no one is cleaning but you

Let’s look deeper…

Client Supply Scenario

In scenario one, let’s say the client will supply the cleaning products and will pay a rate of £12.20 per hour for cleaning, and they have 3 hours cleaning a week.

3 x 12.20 = £36.60 per clean

They have 4 cleans on average per month – 36.60 x 4 = £146.40 per month

We all know there are 12 months in a year – 12 x 146.60 = £1,756.80

Add to that the average UK amount of £540 on cleaning products = £2,296.80 per year

Cleaner Supply Scenario

In the second scenario, the cleaning provider supplies all the cleaning products and equipment and they charge £13.50 per hour for the service

Based on the same family, with the same requirements as above, of 3 hours cleaning weekly:

3 x 13.50 = £40.50 per clean

4 cleans in an average month = £162.00 per month

12 x 162 =£1,944.00

There is a financial difference of £352.80 pounds per year in savings to the client that pays the higher tariff and has their products supply!! People will always think it is cheaper to supply, but as cleaning providers can buy in bulk, that may not be the actual case. Not only do you not have to worry about if there is enough bleach or polish at home, but you will actually save money and pay for someone to clean your home every week!

When the cleaner provider supplies the product, not only do you not have to worry about if there is enough bleach or polish at home, but you will actually save money AND pay for someone to clean your home every week!

Pros and Cons To Client Supply Vs Cleaning Service

Pros

Client can pick scents, brands, and product type

Client should be offered a cheaper labour rate from cleaning provider

Client has control over products used

Cons

More expensive in long term – a cleaner will often buy quality cleaning products in bulk and therefore buy at a more competitive price than the average Jo could at a supermarket

You may not be covered by the cleaning services insurance if staining, damage, discolouring, or scratching etc., occur because of a product/piece of equipment you have supplied has not been tested or approved by the cleaning business

The cleaning business will not hold the COSHH data on your cleaning products

The cleaning business would not have tested your products for streaking, clouding or any other sub-standard finish

People often shop around and try and find the ‘cheapest cleaner” – this is crazy talk to us here at Mrs Mopp because we’re guessing a person’s house is their most expensive outlay and asset, and everything, from the decor and furniture within their home, would have been painstakingly picked and matched, and then, they look for any old person to clean maintain their most prized possession because they are cheap… in their expensive home? Say what?

Questions, Queries and Thoughts

When looking for a cleaning provider, and comparing charge rates, ask yourself what service do they provide for the extra costs? What is the quality of their cleaning products? What is the training and quality control of their cleaners? How long have they traded? What ‘extras’ do clients get?

Ask yourself if you would rather spend a bit extra on an hourly rate, saving money in the long term, (and most importantly, knowing that all products being used in your home are tested, safe, and covered by the insurance of the cleaning provider?) OR would you rather look for the cheapest cleaning provider, supply all the products yourself and hope for the best in terms of service and standard?

As the old adage goes, “You get what you pay for” and I’ve never found a case yet where that has not been true.

Do you have anything you’d like to add to this post? Do you think it is better to supply the products? Why? Please add to the comments below, we’d love to hear from you

1 in 3 homes hires a cleaner. Are you missing out on something?

Twice as many people under 35 now hire a cleaner. No longer is home-help just for the rich and wealthy.

According to the Daily Mail, 1 in 3 homes now hires a cleaner, or other home help like gardeners or window cleaners, on a regular basis, to help them maintain their home, their gardens, and sometimes even their lives!

According to the Daily Mail, 1 in 3 homes now hires a cleaner

Leading this trend of hiring a cleaner is the under 35’s who, according to 1 in 4 of them, see housework as “boring” and, quite frankly there are just more important things these millennials would like to be doing… y’know, like living life!

Why is the trend to hire a cleaner increasing?

People today are busy. Busy with careers, busy with children, busy with trying to see family and friends regularly, busy trying to fit in exercise, busy trying to fit in a hobby. Busy.

We live in a 24-hour-a-day society, who even has the time to clean the bath and remove the cobwebs anymore, nevermind the time consuming and laborious task of cleaning skirting boards and paintwork regularly, among many other regular home cleaning jobs to be done?

We are the time poor generation, with too much to do and not enough time to fit it all in. Millennials and people who value their time, would rather use their downtime time for their pleasure, rather than scrubbing, and they are willing to pay for someone to do it for them, as they see it as a good trade-off of money for time, it’s that simple.

Interestingly, one of the ways I have always motivated my staff, at Mrs Mopp, is by telling them that they are time fairies – and I fully believe it to be true!

I once had a conversation with a Moppette who said that what she does for a living doesn’t really add anything to the world or make a difference! I had to stop her there… I believe cleaners make a difference!

I said to the cleaner that if it were not for her, the couple, whose house she cleaned on a weekly basis, who are both full-time professional people, would not have the precious time available at weekends to spend with their children, they could not enjoy their family days out, and they could not all spend quality time all together.

I explained, as their cleaner, she was a time fairy and with the swish of her duster she delivered time to that family to be together every week and what a wonderful gift that is to leave in the world…

Beyond the wonderful time-saving reason for getting a cleaner, another reason people hire a cleaner is because it is just not as expensive as you think it is!

** Now, before we go further, I am not talking about cheap, unregistered, uninsured, cash-in-hand cleaners here, I’m talking about tax-paying, fully insured, trained cleaning professionals who are HMRC known individuals, cleaning businesses, cleaning agencies or part of a cleaning franchise… Cheap, cash paid cleaners are a whole other blog post, that I will cover another time, but suffice to say that good labour isn’t cheap and cheap labour isn’t good! **

So, back to your money…

Would you be happy to sacrifice a takeaway meal a week or a chocolate and wine fix, to have your home cleaned from top to bottom once a week, so that when you get home all you had to do was relax?

How about instead of spending the average of £540 a year, that a family typically spends of cleaning products, you invest it into a cleaning business that will not only supply all cleaning products but, they do all the actual cleaning too? Sounds like a no-brainer right?

The cost of a weekly cleaner will cost from £20 – £30 per week depending on the type of service you choose to use, so ask yourself when you next tuck into a pizza if you would swap it to have your bathroom sparkling and your floors clear and clean and the whole of Saturday to yourself?

So if you’ve always wanted to learn guitar, or visit friends more often, or even if you just want to sit and do nothing but relax with your evenings and weekends, it might be time to hire a cleaner and free up some of your valuable time as life really is too short…

Take a look at our other posts on “What Type Of Cleaning Services Are Available” that will walk you through the differences between sole traders, cleaning businesses, cleaning agencies and cleaning franchises, and the pros and cons of them all.

If you are thinking about the move to hire a cleaner take a look at our post “What To Look For In A Cleaner” – this post will take you through where and how to find a cleaner, and things you should know about them before you hire them.

Next week we talk about What To Expect From Your Cleaner, so be back here next Wednesday, bookmark us/add to RSS or come follow us on Twitter or ‘Like” us on Facebook to never miss a post!

When hiring a domestic cleaner, what service levels should you expect in your home?

As we discussed last week, having a maid service is no longer just for the rich elite, it is now so common to hire a cleaning service that 1 in 3 homes in the UK now employs one!

As the more “ordinary” folk move to hiring help within their homes, some of them may have never had dealt with a cleaner before and perhaps come from a background that has never had cleaners or hired help in their homes – this post is to guide newbie homeowners employing a cleaner on a few things to expect.

A Cleaner Will Not Redecorate Your Home

Excuse the dramatics but we wanted to make a point. Some clients expect their house will be transformed almost instantly upon having a cleaner and while that is true to a point, (as yes your home should look, feel and smell cleaner when you come home after each and every clean) it may take several cleans to get your home to the desired and workable standard of the cleaner and of the cleaning service provider you have hired.

It may take a cleaner 2/3 cleans to “bed-in” to a new client’s home and to know the flow of the rooms and work out the most efficient way of achieving all tasks in the set time frame. It will take several cleans to get on top of all paintwork and internal windows, for example, especially if they have not been regularly maintained beforehand. It may take several treatments to cut through all limescale on a shower screen or on taps if the build up is heavy etc.

A cleaner is only human and can only achieve so much in a 2, 3, 4-hour time span. From experience, our domestic Moppettes are professionally trained in cleaning techniques for efficiency combined with high-standard cleaning, and yes they can clean better and faster than the average Jo, but there is a limit to how many bathrooms can be cleaned, how many bed changes can be done or how many flights of stairs vacuumed in a two hour time slot – this is true of all cleaners

How To Overcome This?

The very best thing you can do is be very clear of your cleaning wants and your cleaning needs when you have someone come to your home to quote. The cleaner and the cleaning company want to serve you well and would much rather deliver great cleaning work in 2 hours than provide lots of bits of shoddy, rushed work throughout the home. If you can only afford to budget for 2 hours a week of cleaning then be realistic on what the most important tasks are to you to be done.

If you can afford it, have a deep/spring clean before your regular cleaning service starts – some franchises will insist on this – A deep clean will clean all paint work, internal windows, and there will be a deep clean in the living areas, kitchen and bathrooms etc. The idea of having a deep clean prior to your regular service is that it will make the home easier to maintain moving forward.

A Cleaner Cleans But Does Not Tidy Up!

Okay, not strictly true because if we needed to vacuum a floor and it was littered with a weeks worth of clothes, we would, of course, pick up said clothes and fold them neatly… then we could get on with our job of cleaning.

Us picking up your clothes, picking up toys, putting away books and magazines etc is a waste of your actual cleaning time – If we only have 3 hours to do a top to bottom clean on a home and your cleaner spends 30 mins picking up and putting away items, something else may have to be missed, or it will be done in a rush (and probably poorly), as your cleaner will run out of time before they have to move to their next job.

You don’t want a half complete clean, the cleaning business owner does not want to give you an incomplete clean and the cleaner does not want to feel like they are failing as they become so overwhelmed with the tasks to be done Vs time allowed.

How To Overcome This?

The night before your scheduled clean please tidy-up for your cleaner – Get the whole household involved and explain to one and all that floors should be clear and items that should be somewhere should be put there – Your cleaner will love you for it and you will get more bang for your buck in cleaning time. Hurrah all round!

Your Cleaner Won’t Last Forever

Nothing lasts forever we all know this but allow me to explain…

There are two types of cleaner. The first type of cleaner is the dream cleaner for you to hire in your home; they are the type of cleaner that instinctively knows what is to be cleaned, they love to clean and to get quality results, and they would never, ever dream of assigning their name to bad work. Career cleaners live to clean, it is their vocation. This type of cleaner does exist, I promise, but they are rare (in eight years of running Mrs Mopp I have employed several career cleaners and many are still with me, as a good cleaner is worth their weight in gold!)

The second type of cleaner is a person that sees cleaning hours as convenient for their own life and they see it as a job they can do until they find something else. (‘Something better’, is the phrase I will hear most often, frustratingly, cleaning is not a respected job role in this country, and this does not help with retention) These types of cleaners are the majority in the UK. Harsh but true. This is not to say ‘jobbing cleaners’ can’t be good cleaners, not at all, I’ve employed many an excellent cleaner that has gone on to do other things as their circumstances have changed, the point is that these cleaners are not career cleaners, they do not live for the finish and sparkle in the same way as cleaning type number one does and no matter what pay rates, incentive schemes, employee benefits etc that a cleaning business may offer, some people never intend on staying in a role with a long term view (please believe me I’ve tried to change this view and still try daily) and so it goes, your cleaner will not last forever.

Another reason cleaners don’t last forever is that the work is very physically demanding and some people join the profession thinking they can do it (how hard can cleaning be right?) and then they discover after a week or two that it’s really not for them and they can’t stay with the pace

Cleaning businesses HATE changing cleaning staff just as much as a client hates having to have a new cleaner, but please know that sometimes they can’t help it as it may beyond their control, BUT, they will be doing everything they can behind the scenes to correct it, I guarantee it, no cleaning business owner likes disgruntled calls or emails. Not a single one.

How To Overcome This?

When looking for a cleaning business ask about how they do their recruitment, ask what capacity they employ their cleaners – some cleaning business are actually agencies and all their staff are self-employed and none of the cleaners are known to each other – ask how they keep and motivate their staff

Ask yourself would you prefer a single cleaner or are you happy for a team of two to come to your home? Many companies use two cleaners for heath and safety reasons (moving furniture, falling etc) and this can help with service disruption as there is always one known cleaner.

If you really want one person and one person only, you either have to accept, there may be times that particular individual is sick or perhaps on holiday and you would have to go without a clean, or you will have a cover cleaner so as not to disrupt your cleaning service – or if you employ a sole trader cleaner, if they are sick or on holiday you will not have a clean (nor the option of cover).

The main point to take away from the post is this: be realistic with timeframes available, and with your cleaning wants and your cleaning needs. Stay open in communication with the cleaner, supervisor and/or business owner/manager to work together to find your perfect cleaning service.

It can be done, you can have a harmonious relationship with your cleaning provider, with a perfectly running cleaning schedule, I promise. It just won’t happen all in one clean.

Do you have anything to add to this post? Please post in the comments and please share this post with anyone you think may find it useful

Mrs Mopp Product Testing – Maid Simple UK

Just before Christmas 2014, Santa Claus made an early visit to Mopp Towers, and dropped off a package of cleaning goodies ready to be tested by our Moppettes. The excitement was clear to see, as the Moppettes, clambered to see the pretty, brightly coloured bottles, popping out of the box of surprises…

Maid Simple Products

The good people at Maid Simple, sent us their entire product range and so, it was only right to give each product a really good testing. We sent several of our Moppettes off, overall several weeks, to test the products in their own homes, and in the homes of willing clients, to see what they thought and how the products performed. After the first test, we all swapped products and repeated the cycle… here is our first instalment of feedback on the main sprays used daily:

The Kitchen Cleaner

Product via Maid Simple

The Maid Simple kitchen cleaner is a zingy grapefruit scented cleaning product, designed specifically for the kitchen.

Just give your kitchen a quick spray with the Spick & Span kitchen cleaner and then wipe with a damp clean cloth – The Spick & Span kitchen cleaner will remove all grease and food splashes from your kitchen worktops, shelving, sinks, taps and cupboards. If you have high-shine cupboards or doors with a gloss texture, Mrs Mopp recommends, to proceed to buff after wiping off the product, to bring to a high shine.

Your kitchen will smell divine and be spick and span just as promised

Kitchen before & After | Maid Simple Products

The Bathroom Cleaner

Bathroom Cleaner | Maid Simple

The Bathroom cleaner form Maid Simple was one of our favourite products! The “Bye-Bye Limescale” bathroom product has a fresh lemony smell and cut through limescale and soap scum like it was going out of fashion!! This bathroom cleaner is great for tubs, tiles, sinks, shower trays and shower screens and will, most definitely become a firm favourite with our Moppettes. Bathrooms are very important to us when cleaning a clients home and this product delivered every time and all without the harsh and over-chemically smells or the usual and well known limescale treaters…

Bathroom Before | Maid Simple Bathroom Cleaner

Bathroom After | Maid Simple Bathroom Product

The Shower Cleaner

If you are busy person who does not have the time to clean on a regular basis, or if you are someone who likes their home to stay shiny and clean, this “Spray & Dash, Shower Cleaner”, is for you! Every day, after you finish your shower, lightly spray your walls, screen (curtain) and tray in a light mist of the Spray and Dash Shower Cleaner and then be on your way… Yup, that’s right, no need to wipe or rinse, just let the product do it’s thang! Your shower will stay clean and it will also make it easier to maintain in between cleans, hurrah!

These of the first three products we will reviewing, with the rest of the range reviews are coming soon to our site. Next time we review the “Done and Dusted” furniture polish, the “Lavish Lustre” granite and marble cleaner and the “Let It Shine” glass and mirror cleaner…. Can we get an Ooooooooo, can we get an Aaaahhhhhhhh

Cleaning Tips w/c 10.11.14

Hello lovely people of the Internet, did you see our visual cleaning tips last week on Facebook? You didn’t? Oh no…

Well the Mama Mopp thought it would be a good idea that we should put them on our website too, just to show visitors, a bit of what your missing out on over on Facebook, you know, er… should you.. err… wanna come over there and like us? 😉

We get that not everyone in the world has a Facebook (really?) so, if you prefer to see written tips, in 140 characters or less, we can do that for you too, over on Twitter at 11am, Monday through Friday. (GMT) If you fancy just a smattering of tips and would rather know what goes on behind the scenes of Mopp Towers, you can add us on Instagram for that.

Social bunch, us Moppettes you know.

Take a look at the weeks round up of the top 5 cleaning tips and let us know your favourite. If you have a cleaning tip that you would like to share with us, please contact us and make sure to include your name so we may give you full credit.

We hope you enjoyed the round up of last weeks top 5 cleaning tips and that some, if not all of them, will be useful to you at some point. Don’t forget if you have a top cleaning tip of your own, you can share it with us and we’ll share it with the world – just don’t forget to give us your name!

Love Cleaning Tips?

Here at Mrs Mopp, not only do we clean houses to the highest standards, we also like to try out and test cleaning tips and advice we find on blogs, to see what works. You can catch our regular cleaning tips by searching online for the hashtag #CleaningTips or you can check out our pages on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram which have daily cleaning tips and other cleaning wonderful-ness.

Please see below for a collection of our latest cleaning tips, designed to help save you time and money in your home.

Want that “just cleaned” smell to last a while longer when cleaning your home? Try this cleaning tip of swapping polish for air freshehener

Want to motivate the kids into cleaning up their room? Easy! Turn it into a game…

Not getting as much steam from your iron as you would like? Try this quick and easy cleaning tip to de-clog your iron.

It ain’t easy being cheesy… Try cold water instead of warm when dealing with cleaning cheese from pans and utensils.

Smelly bin, smelly bin, what are they feeding you? Never let your bin tell a tale on what you’ve been eating, by using this cheap, easy, cleaning tip.

Brighten up your kitchen sink and leave it smelling fresh and clean by trying this eco friendly cleaning tip

Are your elbows aching from all the grease you are putting into scrubbing pans? Save your arm ache with this handy cleaning tip

Is your shower a mere dribble of its former self? No worries, we can help. Wrap your shower head in a sealed sandwich bag, filled with white vinegar. Leave overnight and hey presto, Niagara Falls people.

Are stickers a pet peeve? Want a handy cleaning tip solution? Try a wee drop of WD40 to banish those pesky sticks

Want an environmentally friendly way to clean your windows? Want a fresh smell through out your home? Try this cleaning tip to sparkle and freshen windows

We hope you have enjoyed the first instalment of Mrs Mopp Cleaning Tips. Please check back regularly for more cleaning tips or check us out on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for daily #CleaningTips

Okay, so you have just found that T-shirt you have been looking for all summer; as the last leaves start falling from the trees. The t-shirt was found under that big pile of laundry, you have been meaning to sort through, that was at the side of the pile of paperwork and bills that you are going to organise when you get a minute, next to the plastic tub full of bits of toys, old jigsaw pieces and random socks. Sound familiar? Maybe you need a little help.

See our top 5 signs that you may need to think about hiring a cleaner

1. You spend your weekend/only available down-time cleaning house. Are you sure there is not something else, other than scrubbing your bathroom, you would rather be doing?

Image Via Someecards.com

2. You are very good at making piles and stacking things.. in a neat way of course. You are not entirely sure what is in each pile and, if you are honest, you don’t want to disturb them to find out.

3. You are simply overwhelmed and feel disorganised by the sheer amount of things you have to do in your day-to-day life and just never ever seem to find the time for any of it. You feel like you are constantly putting out fires and chasing your proverbial tail.

4. Your cobwebs have a dark colour to them, there are dust bugs on your windowsills and shelves (really) or tumble weeds blowing down your hallway (not really.. well possible, tiny ones)

5. Doing a “quick tidy up” for house guests takes you waaaaaaay longer than an hour; in fact a quick tidy up for guests means putting all the clutter in the nearest room or cupboard and jamming the door shut!

Still uming and aring about hiring a cleaner to clean your home or office, but can’t decide?

Here, we give you 3 things to consider before you hire a cleaner

1. Define The Job Role And Tasks

Think about what tasks it is that you need help with in your home or office. Think about what rooms you would like to be cleaned and what rooms you would prefer to be left alone, or only cleaned once a month for example. Think about the tasks within the rooms you want to have done. Think about your requirements; do you need someone to just blitz your bathrooms and kitchens once a week? Do you need someone to vacuum and polish all the offices and communal areas? Do you need someone who will do laundry and iron your shirts?

You need to know what you want in order to find the right cleaning service for you, your needs and your budget.

The standard cleaning chores you should expect, from a paid service, are high and low level dusting, polishing, vacuuming, mopping, cleaning bathrooms and toilets, kitchen cleaning and wiping of worktops and sides. Some cleaning companies will clean skirting boards as standard, some won’t. Some cleaning companies will wash up dirty dishes, or clean your windows and some won’t. It is best to know what you want in your home or office to able to ask the question on the telephone or by looking at the businesses website, to determine the best cleaning service for you.

2. Be Prepared To Pay For The Service You Want

It would be divine to have a housekeeper or a cleaning maid that came to your home every day and made the whole place sparkle from top to bottom wouldn’t it? Now unless you are Rockefeller, this is probably not an option for a lot of people. You need to think about your cleaning service in the same way as you would about any outgoing liability for your house or office and think about what you can afford to pay for cleaning services every month and make it part of your household budget.

Your budget may effect the cleaning company you choose or the hours you are able to have somebody in but it will give you a starting point on which is the best type of cleaning service to approach. If price is your only driver for a cleaning service, you may end with what you pay for, cheaper is not always better, especially when it comes to your home or office.

Make sure you have a payment agreement in place with your cleaner/cleaning business and ensure you abide by their invoicing terms and conditions.

3. Expectations and Boundaries

Okay, so to put it out there, hiring a cleaner does not mean you have hired your very own Cinderella, there are limits. Along with the job role being defined and all the tasks that are to be done, it is also important to talk to your cleaning service provider about expectations and standards.

For example, your cleaner should do a quicker and better job than you can, if they have been trained correctly, however, your cleaner does not posses super powers and cannot clean your five bed-roomed, 3 bath-roomed executive home, top-to-bottom in 2 hours. In this case, you may need to think about singling out the most important tasks for 2 hours or change your expectation of cost and time of a through job. The point is to be realistic in your expectation of time needed for the job.

A cleaner is not there to look after your children whilst you pop out, walk your dog, put your supermarket shopping away or answer the telephone whilst the receptionist goes downstairs; they are there as cleaners and there to clean.

If you do need to change the clean the maid will be doing or add something extra to the clean , before you write a note on the day of your clean, please call the office of the cleaner a day or two before to see if the cleaner has the time available for the extra tasks firstly, and if not to book the extra time the week later. If you do leave notes for your cleaner, then please arrange for the extras to be done on the following clean when the cleaner has arranged their time or other clients, has all the right equipment needed etc. It is not good etiquette to just expect your cleaner to undertake extra time at the blink of an eye, as they may have other clients, children or an appointment to get to.

Make sure the boundaries for your home are clear regarding wearing shoes, having a mobile telephone with them, where their coat and bags are to be kept whilst cleaning etc. As always the communication is the key.

As always, I would love to hear any thoughts or comments you may have, done below. Please drop by and say Hello on Facebook or Twitter 🙂